SCOUTING THE COUNTY
Center Grove Trojans
Coach: Kevin Stuckmeyer
Last season: 27-2, won county, sectional and regional championships; lost to Lawrence Central in Class 4A semistate final
Key returnees: Lilly Bischoff, Ava Grant and Emerson Vlcan, seniors; Hannah Gin, junior; MacKenzie Pierce, sophomore
Top newcomers: Gracyn Gilliard, Anna Karr, Mia Mann and Ella Sprong, juniors; Haley Wagoner, freshman
What to expect: The Trojans took some significant graduation hits, losing three prominent starters, but they’re positioned about as well as possible for a quick reload. Bischoff, an Indiana Junior All-Star last winter, and Grant return to the starting five, and they should get plenty of help from Gilliard, a highly regarded prospect who averaged 25.9 points last season for Munster. If role players such as Gin, Pierce, Sprong and Vlcan are able to make consistent contributions at both ends, Center Grove should be the class of the area and a threat to advance deep into February once again.
Edinburgh Lancers
Coach: Dennis Smith
Last season: 3-21, lost to South Decatur in Class A sectional opener
Key returnees: Mia Dodson and Shyleigh Gobel, seniors; Lillie Goff, Kenna Streeval and Bella Turner, juniors; Kinzie Purvis, sophomore
Top newcomers: Elizabeth Richardson Hernandez, junior; Mya Denton, sophomore
What to expect: With the bulk of last season’s rotation back, Smith is hoping to significantly raise the win total this winter by controlling the controllables — defense, rebounding and limiting turnovers. Streeval and Turner were the team’s top two scorers a year ago and should be able to produce more offense this time around; Goff and Dodson can provide some rim protection at the other end while Streeval (2.7 steals) tries to create mayhem up top. The ingredients are there for the Lancers to make noticeable improvements.
Franklin Grizzly Cubs
Coach: Mike Armstrong
Last season: 24-4, won Mid-State Conference, sectional and regional titles; lost to Center Grove in Class 4A semistate semifinal
Key returnee: Maggie Doty, senior
Top newcomers: Addi Bright, Aubrey Leugers, Bri Owens and Hannah Stewart, juniors; Addi King, Ava Lilly, Gracie Price, Aleah Singleton and Izzy Stillabower, sophomores; Ella McCrary and Amelia Richter, freshmen
What to expect: After a wildly successful four-year run, the Grizzly Cubs are starting back at square one. Doty, who missed almost all of last season with an ankle injury, is the only returning player with any meaningful varsity experience; the rest of the lineup will be filled by newcomers who powered the JV to an 18-4 record, with Leugers and Stillabower the most likely to make an immediate impact. This group won’t be mistaken for a state title contender anytime soon, but Armstrong hopes there’s enough talent to at least remain competitive throughout the season.
Greenwood Woodmen
Coach: Jenny Pfeiffer
Last season: 6-17, lost to Center Grove in first round of Class 4A sectional
Key returnees: Olivia Ford, Emma Gardner, Keyara Johnson and Isabelle Reynolds, seniors; Eliana Anderson, junior
Top newcomers: Zaire Gillis, junior; Addison Lipp and Lola Trent, sophomores; Madison Bethel, Josie Fiesel, Millie Fiesel and Maddison Judge, freshmen
What to expect: Though there are some veteran holdovers, including Gardner and Johnson, leading the way, the Woodmen will also lean heavily on a talented freshman class with plenty of size — one that makes this team the tallest that Pfeiffer has ever coached, college teams included. Blending the seniors and the newcomers together seamlessly might take some time, but the potential is there for Greenwood to make some gains in the win column and be competitive in its maiden voyage through the Class 3A postseason, despite a challenging sectional field.
Greenwood Christian Cougars
Coach: Tiffany Smith-Clements
Last season: 6-18, lost to Eminence in Class A sectional championship
Key returnees: Faith Kresge, senior; Norah Herndon, Izzy Howell, Annaleece Jackson, Kate Reed and Reagan Willis, sophomores
Top newcomers: Kaylee Edgar, Myra Finnity, Molly Hunter and Nadia Konecky, freshmen
What to expect: GCA was young last season and will be again, with nine underclassmen on a 10-player roster — but the Cougars do have significantly more experience in the sophomore class, with all five having played at least 22 minutes per game as freshmen. Jackson and Kresge figure to lead the way up front, with Reed running the point. The offense may take some time to gel, but Smith-Clements is hoping that all of the pieces will align in time for her squad to compete for conference and sectional championships. Despite the Cougars’ youth, neither goal is unreasonable.
Indian Creek Braves
Coach: Brian Ferris
Last season: 21-5, won Western Indiana Conference and sectional titles; lost to Bishop Chatard in Class 3A regional
Key returnees: Jasmine Day, Bre Gault and Ayla Lollar, seniors; Lexi Sichting and Reese Tunell, juniors; Ellie Oliver, sophomore
Top newcomers: Alivia White, senior; Gracie Werden, junior; Madi Bracken, sophomore; Reagan Ferris, freshman
What to expect: The Braves will look very different after graduating Lauren Foster, their leading scorer over the last four seasons, and Faith Wiseman, an Indiana All-Star who’s now suiting up for Indiana University. But the cupboard is far from bare; Lollar has been a double-digit scorer, and all of the six returning players logged significant time in some big games. They’ll try to fill as much of the Foster-Wiseman void as they can by committee, with Reagan Ferris also expected to make contributions. Creek won’t boast the same star power it’s had the last four years, but there’s enough proven talent back to potentially run the table in the WIC one last time and win a fifth straight sectional championship.
Whiteland Warriors
Coach: Kellie Burgeson
Last season: 12-13, lost to Franklin in Class 4A sectional final
Key returnees: Sukhman Bains and Samantha Roadruck, seniors; Sophia Dyer, junior
Top newcomers: Lana Johnson, senior; Ella Davis and Sarah Gilmour, juniors; Bryanna Gillock, sophomore
What to expect: The Warriors had some unexpected defections but still return three solid starters from a team that took Franklin to the wire in the sectional title game. Burgeson is counting on some of last year’s top JV talent to step up and fill the other holes, and she expects success to again start on the defensive end. Whiteland should be able to hold its own there and on the boards, where Dyer is one of the area’s top rebounders; if there’s more consistent output on offense, where finding a go-to finisher has been tough in recent years, then this team is capable of putting together a winning season.
